#1 What You Think is NOT Who You Are

Your worst enemy is not your biggest hater, but your own mind.

Human beings are genetically programmed to seek safety. Encountering cobras, lions, and saber-toothed tigers was possibly a daily occurrence for our ancestors a hundred thousand years ago. In those situations, you do not have time to think. All you can do is run as fast as possible and stop only when ‘it’s safe.’

Even though we’re not fighting wild animals anymore, our minds still hold on to that need for safety and instantly shun out risks. The problem? All growth opportunities are risky.

And that’s why your thoughts and beliefs aren’t always correct. The nervousness you feel before doing something big is not a signal of your inability but just a biological response. Accept that reality and stop shooting your own foot.

#2 Everything in Life is a Probability:

The possibility of failure is real, but so is the possibility of success.

A bold decision can drive your life into the ground, but it can also take it to newer heights.

Saying ‘No’ might end up disappointing the other person, but it might make you happier than ever before.

We do recognize that everything is a probability. After all, that’s the lens through which all our, “What if?…” questions come. But we’re only asking the ones that keep us stuck.

How many times do you consciously ask yourself, “What if I win?” and take the time to understand that possibility? Not as often as you might ask, “What if I fail?”

We need to change that. Everything in life is a probability, just give each one enough thought and you’ll 10X your chances to succeed.

#3 Hard is good; Easy is not:

The deep, sincere joy you feel after accomplishing a goal doesn’t come to you because of the achievement, but because of the pain and effort that led to it.

In a world where we can’t take our eyes off our phones, self-care has taken a new, yet destructive meaning: if you don’t feel ‘good’ doing it, you shouldn’t do it. Well, mindless scrolling feels good when you’re doing it, but what about the way you feel afterwards? You’re drained, lost, and confused. That’s not very self-caring. In fact, prioritizing an easy 30 second dopamine hit over conscious and long-lasting growth is a self-destructive decision many people are making right this moment.

But the truth is, nothing worthwhile feels good when you’re knee deep in a messy process. No footballer feels good eating the most boring food and training for hours. No writer feels good when they see an editor butcher their mental offspring. No actor feels good retaking the same 30-second shot because the director wasn’t satisfied.

You never love the effort; you love the person it turns you into—an achiever. And that’s why, hard is good, easy is not.

#4 All Positivity is Not Good:

Positive thinking is life changing.

But it’s not a replacement for clear thinking. The only reason so many books, blogs, and people emphasize thinking positively is because we’re wired to think negatively and always assume the worst. They’re trying to balance the scales.

What that leads to, however, is a gross misunderstanding: “We should always be positive.”

Well, no. If you’re a pilot, you cannot ignore the smoke coming from the engine by saying, “I’m thinking positively. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” In that moment, your career as a pilot will end (and maybe your life too). 

If you’re always thinking negatively, you’re expecting problems to come up. When they do, you don’t solve them, but just say, “I told you so. We’re screwed.” You run away. And if you’re always thinking positively, you ignore problems and just say, “My thoughts are always positive.” Once again, you run away.

And that’s why positive thinking is just as bad as negative thinking if you use it as an excuse to run away from your problems. You need clear thinking instead. 

Be positive enough to think, “I’ll be able to figure this out.” Empower yourself to look for solutions instead of worrying about problems and deal with reality as it is. That’s how you make positivity work in your favor.